SDO's instruments are giving solar scientists an unprecedented look at the sun. The hope is to better understand how solar flares, coronal mass ejections and coronal holes are linked to the sun's magnetic field.

STEREO consists of two space-based observatories -- one ahead of Earth in its orbit, the other trailing behind. With this new pair of viewpoints, scientists will be able to see the structure and evolution of solar storms in three dimensions as they blast from the sun and move out through space.